Coin-box for telephones.



G. S. ELLIS.

COIN BOX FOR TELEPHONBS neuogmox rum) 3223.0, 1904.

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

' @ATffiTBD AI IG. 11 196a.

895343 c. s. ELLIS.

COIN BOX FOR TELEPHONES. nrmcnmn mum snr'm, 1904.

PATENTBD AUG. 11 1908. I G S ELLIS COIN BOX FOR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION mum same, 1904.

a sums-sum s.

c. s. ELLIS; 00m BOX FOR TELEPHONES.

, APELIC'LTION FILED SEP'LB, 1904. I

PATBNTBD AUG. 11, 1993.

SEEKERS-SE33: 5.

c. sfELLIs P'ATENTED AUG. 11, 1903'.

00 m BOX FOR TELEPHO APPLICATYIOK IIILED SEPTA, 1904.

a sums-sum 1.

I c. s. ELLIS. com BOX FOR TBLEPHONES.

TED AUG. 11, IQQB.

a anus-.sxzm' s.

PPLIOATIOH IILED SEPT. 6,1904.

1 U ITED sm-ex ras PATENT orrierj.

(taunts s. E LLtsQor CHIC-AGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGXOR To rnrlmnnlcav 001x 'REGIs rER COMPANY, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS. I

COIN-BOX FOR TELEPHONES.

Application filed September 6, 1904. Serial No. 223,42

Specification '0: Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

To all whom it may concern: 'i I Be it known that I. (names S. ELLIS, a citizen of' the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of (ook and State of 5 Illinois, have invented certain new, useful, and improved (om-Boxes for Telephones, of which the following is a description, refer ence being bad to the accompanying draxw ings, forming a part of this sp cification, in which eorrespomling letters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

The. object of my invention is to provide a simple and reliable coin-receiving and registering mechanism so constructed that the dropping of the coin into the. coin slot' will serve as a signal to the operator at the central station, who, upon placing a plug in the switch-board to connect with the number called for, or bv pressing a button, may

i break the circuit with the signal light and cause the coin to drop into a. position where it, may either be automatically deposited in the coin receptacle or returned to the customer.

3.5 A further ohjectis to provide positive means for actuating the coin to deposit it in the receptacle and to re istel' the same when deposited-tl'1is act to .ie the result, not of the direct action of the operator at the cengo' tral station, but of 'the customer who doposits the next succeeding coin,--therebv avoiding the possibility of the operator inadvertently depositing the coin when no service has been rendered and also preventing the customer from withdrawing the. c in, or

otherwise improperly manipulating it.

further object is to "provide means whercbv, upon the removal of the (over for the inspection or repair of the o )erating 0 mechanism. the coin last demsitet in the coin channel may, as a result of such removal, be deposited in the coin rece uncle and properly registered. all of which is hereinafter more particularly described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drznvings. Figure l, is a perspective view of a cash-box and int-losing case for registering mechanism embodying the fea- I :res of my Invention. Fig. l, a front'view m o eievation of the registeringnnchanism. the casehcing sectioned to show tile interior, Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view upon the line 3 Fig. l. as viewcd in the direction of the arrow there shown. Fig. 1', is a. like view showing certain parts in different relative positions, one of the covering plates beingremoved to show the coin channel, Fig.5 is asectional view in plan taken upon the line 5, Fig. 3, Fig. 6', IS a like view taken upon the line 6-, Fig. 4, Fig. 7, is a like view so taken upon the line 7. Fig. 3, Fig. 8, is a like view taken upon the line 8, Fig. 4, Fig. 9, is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line 9, Fig.3, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown, the parts appear- 5 ing in their respective normal positions. Fig. 10, is a like view taken upon the line 10-, Fig. 3, showing the coin in a position to cause the. closing of an electric circuit, Fig. l l is a like view showing the gate in an abnormal position, Fig. 12, is a face view of a portion of the inside of the case sho ing the primary actuating slide, and Fig. 13, is a diagranunatio view showing the electric circuits. electro-magnet and swinging gate. Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a. box or ease of metal, which is divided into two compart ments by means of a horizontal partition :2 beneath which is an extension 3 A in which is pivotally mounted a cylindrical 0 cash box 4, having an opening 5, Flgs. 3 and l, which is normally inclosed within the casing 3, in position to communicate with a. coin-slot 6 in the partition 2. A removable cover 7 is secured to the case 3 bv means of a. 35 lock 8. Figs. 1 and 5 to S inclusive. 'lhe coin cylinder is also provided with a locl the escutcheon of which is shown at 9 in Fig. l. The details of said coin r ceptacle however, form no part of this invention, an I merely indicate it to show that the coin receptacle constitutes one separately locked compartmentin eommnniealion with another locked compartment in which is loto which the coin is tirst introduced. lligidly attached to the horizontal plate 2 and to the back of the case by means oi screws 9 and H), Figs. 2, I 4 and 9 to 11, is a b I], which extends u nvardly to near the top of the case and irom front. to rear thereof. Within a dovetailed groove or channel 12 l designated by 13, which consists of a main horizontal portion H having a slot 15, Fig. 4, therein adapted to receive a projection 16, Figs. 4.15, 6, 9, l0 and 1], formed rigidly l 1 upon the. casting II and provided with acorn 11 cated the registering and signal mechanism vertical metal casting generally designated 00 j is located a sliding coin actuator, generally 05 or wedge-shaped surface I7, for the purpose \liereiiia'fter stated. Said projection acting alternately against the respective ends of the slot 15, forms, in addition to its more i mportant function, a stop to limit the forward and backward movement of the coin actuator.

Said'actuator is provided with a vertical portion '18 which is integral with the main ortion 14 and is provided with ahorizonta extension 19 upon its lower end, extending rearwardly therefrom arallel with the part 14 and beneath a shou der 20, Figs. 2 and 4,

' upon the upright 11. Formed upon the part 18 is a laterally projectinglug 21,

which is adapted to be engaged upon one side by a lu 22, pro'ccting from a sliding bar 23, loose y secure in uides 24, Figs. 2

5, 6 and 12, attached to the inner side wall of the. cover 7, and upon the other by the 20 free end of a flat. spring' 25, the opposite end of which is attached by means of screws 26 to the bar 23.

A coiled sprin 27, shown in Figs. 2 and 12, and indicate in dotted lines in Fig. 5,

i has one end attached'to a stud 28 upon the casing and the other to an arm 29 upon the rear end of the sliding bar 23. An elongated horizontal slot 30, Figs. and 2, is formed in the casing 7 throu h which is projected a thumb-piece 31. he spring 27 serves to hold the sliding bar 23 in the normal position shown in Figs. 5 and 12, with the thumbpiece 31 against the forward end of the slot 30 as shown in Fig. 1; and, inasmuch as the 35 lug 21 is interposed between the boss 22 and the free end of the spri 25, the coin-actuator or slide 13 is norm-Ely held thereby in the positions shown in Figs- 3 and 5.

Formed in the part 11 1s a coin channel 32 40 shown in Fig. 2 and 4 and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which is in registration with a coin slot 33, Fig. 1, formed in the removable cover. A depres ion or channel 34, Figs. 3, 4 and 9, is formed in the coin actuator slide of a depth and w dth to conform to that of the coin channel, so that when the actuator 13 in its normal position as shown in Fig. 3, its walls will register with those of said coin channel. Attached to the side of the part 11 by means ofscrews 35, is a covering plate 36 of sheet metal of irre 'ular shape, which forms one wall of the coin (ihannel throughout its length. Formed upon the end wall of the channel or depression in 5 the actuator slight shoulder 37, shown in Fig. 4, and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which is adapted to engage one edge of a coin 38 as shown in said figure, while the other edge rests against the shoulder 39 upon 50 the part 14 of the actuator. The channel or depression 34 in the actuator, slightly narrowed as shown, is continued into ('Olllllllllll, cation with a slot leading'to st by-pass 40, Figs. 6,-7- and S into communication with a g5 slot'4l in the case, in front of which is a wire loop 42 adapted to engage and retain a coin as it rolls out through said-by-pass. Should the proper coin he deposited, it willrlodge temporarily in the position shown in Fi 3; but a small coin or slug will fall through the slot intosaid byass, and be delivered outside of the case. nasmuch as the shoulder 37 is very small, the opposite edges of the circular coin, cspeciallyif somewhat worn tend to wedge very slightly between said shoulder and the shoulder 3!); hence I provide a projection or shouldcrdfl, Fig. 3, n on the frame, and in the path of the coin as it is moved by the actuator, so that in case said coin should become so wedged, it will, upon assing over said )rojection, be loosened and ienee free to fal l by its own gravity as hereinafter described. As stated, said actuator is held in the normal position shown in Fi 3, by means of the spring 27, and can on y be moved back by pushing against the thumb-piece 31. When the coin is int-roduccd into the slot it falls to the position shown in Fig. 3 and there rests until the user pushes back the actuator by means of said thumlrpiece. During said passage, in which the CO") is carried by the actuator, the rear edge and inner face of the coin is brought into contact with the cam or wedge pus ed laterall out of contact with the shoulder 39. he plate 36 is bent as shown at 44, Figs. 3,45and 6, to permit this lateral movement as more clearly shown in Fig. 6, in which the coin-actuator is shown in its exshaped face of the part 16, until said coin is treme rear or abnormal position. This pernuts the com 38 to fall into a secondar com channel 45, better shown in Fig. 4; wt in order that this may not occur until the coin actuator reaches'its full baekward position, I form a projection 39", Fig. 4, upon the actuator, a ainst the upper edge of which the coin fa ls and rests until. said actuator is moved back so that the forward edge of said projection is in substantial alinemcnt with that of a vertical projection or rib 39", Figs. 3 and It. When the coin is released it falls upon and is temporarily supported by a contact arm 46, as shown in said Figs. 411ml 6. Said contact-arm is pivotal] connected at 47, Figs. 2 to 6 and t) to 11 inc usive, upon an upwardly extended bent bracket 48,- the lower end of which is rigidly attached to the inner face of a-swinging gate generally designated by 49, also shown-in Figs. 7 and 8, said' gate being pivotall Y supported by means of an arm 50,.which is hinged at 51 to lugs 52 upon the side. and at the. rear of the part 11.. The bracket 48 is insulated as shown at 53, ,Figs. wand 13, from the gate 49. A contact rod 54 is attached to the horizontal )ortion of the bracket 48, but separated t erefrom by means of insulating material 55. The upper end of said contact rod is below and in operative proxtab openings in the ease, whilein Fig. iii, the

-net- 59 is energized, thereby attrueting the montaet element 54 is also eonneettul'as nur'nose hereinafter stated.

imity to the contact arm 46. which ht t ris 1 huhl normally out of rontuet therewith hyf means of a light spring .36 :tthiebed t said bracket. )lotuued upon the w inging 50 of the gate is an girnmture o7, whit-h i in operati te proximity to the pole 5*. of an el ctro-inagnet .39. the i(l'll!illill\' (3H and '31 of which are (runner-ted respeetivei r with the metal plates 62, (iii. ntttu-hed as shown in Fig. to an insulutiu plate (H, whit-h i se- 1 cured to the. back late of theeiu'e l. Wires (i5. fit. are connected with the binding-posts 37, 68, which in turn are :u'tuehed to the plates 62 and 63 It" ]i (('li\'(l}'. The wires and fit) are shown in Fig; 2 aslemlin g out of same wires are shown to be connected with the terminals of o. lmttery't'itl. A normally op n eirt-uit-eloser is interposed in the circuit described. A wire Tl lends from the bracket 43 to uhinding post 7') with which,

in turn, is also connectet. a wire 1-) whit-h is connected w th the wire (36 at 74, )t'l\\"(-F|. thahnttory 69 and the circuit closer T0. The

shown by means of :1 wire 7.) to the wire tit] at T6; In erposed in the circuit of hit-h the wire 73 forms a iiirt, is a himp '77. F g. 13. ,the circuit of which is l'lUlllitlll)? open. The circuit closer 7t) and the lump T7 are located ata central telephone station for the \Vhen the. coin actuator is moved hue-k its described to the full limit. as shown in Fig. 4, the coin free to full downwardl' into the coin 'ehnnn'el 45 until it rests upon the contact arm 46 as shown in Fig. 4. The weight of the coin being sullicient to overeon'ie the resistance of the weal; spring 56 the arm -16 is caused to rest upon the end of the eontuet element 54, thus closing the electric circuitthrough the contactelcnient 54 the wires 75, 60,- 65, buttery 69, wire 73, lflll] i 77, wire 7, bracket 48 and eontnet-arzn 4t), tliereby light-- ing the lamp 7?. Upon elosing the circuit by meansot' the eirt uit closer-7t), the eleetre-magarmature 57 which causes the gut-e1) to swing toward it, as shown in Fig. R; and intismut-n as the nrnrlt'et. whit-h supports the arm in is mounted upon the gate. said arm is drawn from beneath the ruin thereby permitting the latter to descend further until it rests upon :1 horizontal ledge '58 exter ling laterally from an upright. portion 79. better shown in Figs. it), 11 and 13, which parallel with the mein bod)" of the gate 49. 'l be space between tht two forms it coin pOt'liGhSU, the. bottom oi wnie-h'is inclined forward to permit a c in to pass therefrom into the hy-puss -10 when the gate is in an ttlfllflfllltll position. The gate 49 is held normally in the position shown in Fig. 7, by means or" a coiled spring which is indicated in dotted Zines in etninection wi the hinge SlluWlL at 51, and as the eireo.t

. t-oin s fr m the .i-ogt- T3 into the poelt'e t Hi) as lli ll 'iili'll HI dotted lines in l-ig.--+.

f eourse, wt the twin netuntor, noon heing releuseil. is returned to it normal position, its

sho'w riu Fig. 1;. while the (will remains in the pt'u'iiel N), whith i open at. liotlttnils; bill. owing to the position of the gate. the opening upon one end is-gi1nr leil hy the riar end of the ill'lll it! of tin u-tuutor, whit-h pre vents the win from roiling forward upon the ir-el'n d bottom of the pot'ltet, while; :in arm .sl. Figs. 3, 4, T, 5 in mid ll, .Wlllt'll is'rigidly at inched to the end of a horizontal shaft, 82, extends. (hiw'nnnirdly into the pqth ol' the. coin and prevents the exit of the coin from that. side except when od coin is positively pushed agrinst suitl urn: in the mil-111101 here.- nmfter dest-ri'oc-d. Leading renrwairdly from the pt t'htt :1. coin channel 33, Figs. 4, 7 and S, whit-l: is in registration with the opening 6 in he bottom plate 2. 'lheshaft. is

supported in tu-urings in the part 11, and also in u vt-rticul i'rznne-plute I. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 arranged parallel therewith, which phtte is rigidly ntiut-hed to the interior of the case by means of brackets 35, Fi

.\regisie 'ug nieehnni nml' any well known i ie shaft 8;}, but i prefer to use a regisvtering SF. wound in n roll and arranged to pass .rnn'urdl through a pnssnge.-\\' iy formed '0 a cnsuw 87 through a. 'tP-Silltflid 'mroved ehzweter may he connected tape and simultmieously printing or in some way marking or iinprt. u Cllillfl-t'tt-l u )0. said, tape for eueh coin deposited. t-ion to this 51- series of e nsecutive numbers, 86, Fig. 2, are. printed upon the tape which msses in front. of a sight opening. 86'', Fig. l, iorined in the ease. details of such eoustruetion {LS they are fully described and. eltiinietl in l ietters-lntent No.

Pivoted upon lugs ,-l."ig:\. '2, 3, 4, 6 and S, is il. gate or roin ointrir-lle." U, having :1 'uterztlly emended tin =r tit), i"i'gs. 7 and 8, arranged to extend throigh an opening 9! in the put". it zttl'oss the entrance lending to he.

- 40, as shown in Fig. 7. A coiled Figs. '2, 3%, mid serves to hold the .r in the non position shown in earn or we hoped ll-ginge Eli-L, 2 to H inz-lusire, is f rmed upon thepurb the r in :lt'ili. or in position to enguge on upwurdlv extended hag til. upon the free end 01. ntroller .52 so llinl when said and also in :.p;-lieniion heretofore. tiled by "rank 1). Puneil and myself, Serial ln mttlil ltznu not shown the.

actuator is moved back the wed e will actuate the arm 8'3 and cause it to be moved to the position Sll-fflfll in Fig. 8. Formed in the part 11 is a horizontal slot 95, Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 9, through which is loosely projected a pin 96, also shown in Figs. 2, 10 and 11, which is rigidly secured to the coin actuator. A spiral spring has one end-attached to the pin 96 and the other to a pin 98, Figs. 5 and 6, formed upon the part 11, the strength of which spring is less than that of the spring 27 which serves to hold the coin actuator in its normal position. A set screw 99, Figs}, 4 and 8, cnabies the controller 89 to be adjusted as hereinsi'terdescribed, while a metal shield 100 forms one wall of the by-pass 40.

Having thus described the several parts of my improved device, I will now explain its operation: The user being desirous of calling a party upon the telephone with which the com-cox is adapted to be used, deposits a coin-in the siot 333, the coin falling to the position shown in Fig. 3. He then pushes the thumb-piece 31 back to its full limitand releases it, when it is returned to its normal position bv the action of the s ring27. The same baclnvard and forwan movement is imparted to the coin actuator 13,,thereby moving the coin 38 from the positiomshown in Fig. 3, past the part 16, into re' istration with the coin-slot 45 into which it sills after having been moved laterally ast tli part 16 until it is free from the shou der 39.xlhe falling coin is arrested by the interve ing; contact-arm 1'6, which is depressed thereby as stated and brought into contact with the part 54 as shown in Fi 10, thus completing the electric circuit with the lamp 77 at the central office, which constitutes a signal to the operator there that a coin has been deposited bv the customer. The customer then callsi'or the desired number, whereupon either by depressing the button 70.or.by plugging in" the desired number upon the switch-board. the circuit is closed with the ma net 59 which causes the arm 46 to be wit \drawn from beneath the coin, thereby permitting the latter to fall into the coinpocket as hereinbefore stated. Should the CUSlLOPOl fail to get the )arty called for, the coin may be returned to liim by the operator preferably through the cooperation of the two. The operator desiring to return the coin to the customer, closes the electric circuit with the magnet 59, whereupon the gate 4!) is caused to swing into the position shown in Figs. 8 and 11, when the customer may be toid to take h s coin. Thcreu )0" he pushes back the thumispieee 31, thereby moving the coin actuator and causing the wedge 93 to engage the part 94 and draw the linger ()0 out of the path of the. coin, which is then free to roll through the hy-pass 40 into the loop 42 where the customer may take it. It is obvious that the customer cannot recover the coin from the coin-pocket by moving the to a suliicient extent against the )art 11, will serve to hold the part 89 in (re position shown in said figure.

It is obvious that when the coin'is deposited in the pocket 80, the operator is powerless to'cause its deposit in the coimbox and until it is so deposited, no registration thereof can occur. As the customer cannot withdraw it without the concurrent action of the o )erator, it remains in the coin-pocket until the next customer deposits a coin, or until the actuator is pushed back. In order to place the second coin in the signaling position it is essential that the coin actuator should be moved to its full limit as before described. In doing this the part 19 of the coin actuator, which lies in the same plane with the coin,- is pushed back against the first coin which forces the latter hack into contact with the lower end of the arm 81' until the coin is freed and caused to fall into the coin channel 83 and thence into the coin re-' ceptacle 4. The tilt-ing of the arm 8! serves to rock the shaft 82 against the action of a ring, not shown, which spring restores the dsiaft and arm to their respective norm \l po- "sitions as soon as the coin is discharged. Thcroeking of the shaft, however, actuates a. registering mechanism to register the coin deposited. Thus it will be seen that the first coin is not registered until a second one is deposited, and that a coin always remains in the coin pocket 80 unless discharged by the movement of the ueluator; and, in order to prevent a dishonest inspector, who may have access to the receptac e. containing the mechanism, from appropriating this unre istcrcd coin, the spring J7 is introduced. twill he remembered thatthe main actuating spring 27 is upon the. inside of the cover 7. L )on unlocking said cover, it is necessary to lit it to permit its removal. This act serves to disconnect the stud 22 and spring 25 from the lug 21, whereupon the spring 97, normall under tension, as sho,wn in Fig. 5, be

ing rec to act, immediately moves the coin actuator back to its full limit, thereby discharging the com into the com-box and cansing its registration. The com actuator then remains in its abnormal position as shown in Fig. 6, being retained by, the spring 97. The connection between the 'primai and secondary actuators may be made in the following manner. Upon restoring the cover 7,

the thumb-piece 31 is pushed back to its full desirable to enable the 2-5 volvc limit, when the end of the spring 25 is brought into contact with and snaps over the lug 21 as shown in Fig. 6, leaving said lug be tween the end of the spring and the stud 22. Upon releasing the pressure upon the thumbpiece, the re powerful spring 27 acts to restore the coin actuator to its normal position against the tension of the spring 97.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the coin channel is divided into sections and that the coin' must pass from one to the other in successive order before its final discharge into the coin-box; that such transfers, after the initial deposit of the coin, are accomplished by the positive action of the coin actuator which causes the registry and deposit of a coin previously introduced and the placing of the last coin introduced in a'signaling position. I V

. I do not wish to beconfined to any special form of registering mechanism nor to the s cific construction of other parts as it is o vious that both may be'varied without departinig from the spirit of the invention in- Having thus described my invention, I

claim: v

1,.The combination with a coin box for telephones of a sectional coin-channel having two downward and two horizontal sections,

the first Horizontal section leading from the end of thefirst downward to the entrance of the second downward section, while the second horizontal sectiph leads past the discharge end of said second downward section to an opening communicating with the coin box, a coin actuator having two members arranged to be actuated simultaneously, one in the upper and the other in the lower horizontal section, means for normally. supporting the coin immediately beneath the eduction open-.

ing of said secondary downward section and means for automatically returmng and corn actuator to a normal posit on with its respectrve members behind the respective pornrs of lodgment of the coins.

2. The comb nation w th a telephone combox, of a corn-channel divided into stages or sections, of a manually controlled coin-actuator, one portion Or which is interposed between the first and second sections of said channel to convey a coin from one to the other, while the second portion is adapted to cause the discharge of a coin from the second to the third section, means for returning said actuator to a normal osition, a swin ing gate having a corn poc et in normal a menrentv with the second and third sectionsof said coin-channel, a normally open electric signal circuit, a circuit closing arrn'u on sar gate normally interposed in the pat r of t he\ corn in said second corn channel section, clecjtrical means under the control of the opera ment with said pocket when t ing the same and means operated from the outside of the coin-box for opening said byass.

3; The combination with a coin-box for telephones, of a coin-channel divided into a series-of separate stages or sections, a sliding coin actuator having branches or members arranged to slide in grooves formed upon different levels one above and the other below the central coin section, means upon said actu-ator for receiving and transferring a coin from the bottom of the first to the top of the second'or central coin section is. movable coin-pocket at the bottom of said central coin sectionnormally in the line of movement of said lowermost corn actuator member, a corn register, com-controlled means between the lower end of the central arid the upper end of the last coin section for actuating said registering mechanism, a by-pass, and electrical means for deflecting said coinpocket into alinement therewith.

4. The combination with a coin-box for telephones, of a coin-channel having receiv-' ing, intermediate and discharge sections re spectively, of a coin-actuator under the man uel control of the user, a removable cover for said box, a sci-ink having detachable connectron with said corn actuator, for yreldrngly maintaining the latter in a norma os rtron when the cover rs m place, and a re atrvely weak spring connected with said coin-actw ator for moving the latter to an abnormal position when first spring is disconnected by a removal of said cover.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this second day'of September 1904.

CHARLES s. ELLIS. Witnesses:

. D. H. FLETCHER,

Can ne E. JORDAN.

tor for swinging said gate, a by-pass rn alrne A re gate 18 n rts"6'5 abnormal positron, means tor normally clos- 

